Controversy over Jung Chung-rae's 'first in Daegu' remark; shifts in Jeonju public opinion detected

Analysts say the argument is unlikely to persuade voters.

Jung also adopted a pleading strategy in Gangwon-do, appealing to 'mothers of Honam,' which is read as an attempt to win support by appealing to the emotions of voters in particular regions. The move appears to be a calculated step toward the campaign's internal goals.

In Jeonbuk, however, no separate poll has yet been conducted for this election, making it hard to pin down the gap between candidates. As a result, attention is growing over how public opinion in Jeonbuk will move.

He reportedly beat Kim roughly 50 to 40, showing a solid base of support in Jeonbuk. This past case indicates that Jung has a meaningful foundation of support in the region.

Interviews with citizens on the street confirmed this shift. Even among those once known as 'mothers of Honam' who backed a particular candidate, different voices are emerging, showing that the mood on the ground is not what it seems. This change in local opinion could significantly affect the outcome of the election.

They said they find no persuasiveness in Jung's claim that 'having come first in Daegu, he will also come first in Gwangju.' This internal unease is connected to the campaign's pleading strategy, and it shows that cohesion among supporters is weaker than expected.

The change shows that voters' choices can shift depending on each election's nature and each candidate's appeal.

This reflects growing uncertainty about the outcome even within Jung's base. The decline in confidence among supporters could become an important variable that shapes the race up to the final stretch.

One voter who supports Jung Chung-rae said they will vote for Jung themselves, but that the mood around them has changed. In particular, they acknowledged to some degree that some who once backed Lee Won-taek are now backing Kim Min-seok. This is an important indication that a particular candidate's base is not fixed and can move to other candidates over time.

This shows a tendency for the vote that once went to a particular governor to carry over to another candidate in the party-leader race.

One citizen said, "Older people seem to think Kim Min-seok is a bit lacking, and young people, I don't know," describing this pattern. This suggests that political interests and candidate-selection criteria may differ across generations.

When the host asked whether Lee's supporters would keep backing Jung or switch to another candidate, one citizen answered, "A lot of them are writing down Kim Min-seok." This suggests a clear movement of votes toward Kim Min-seok within Lee's base.

Although Jung sought votes by raising this sense of exclusion among Jeonbuk voters, actual public opinion is showing a different pattern from Jeonnam. This suggests that voters' frustration over uneven regional development does not necessarily translate into support for a particular candidate, and that Jeonbuk voters are responding sensitively to local issues.

Jung's visit to Jeonbuk, where he drew a line by saying 'Jeonbuk and Jeonnam are different,' is analyzed as having worked to some degree. Local sentiments such as sub-regionalism and a sense of exclusion appear to have influenced some voters. However, the strategy is judged unlikely to be strong enough to turn Kim Min-seok's supporters into Jung supporters. In other words, it had a partial effect but did not have enough force to overturn the overall picture.

In this area, where votes split between Lee Won-taek and Governor Kim Gwan-young in the June 3 local elections, supporters of Kim Gwan-young are firmly backing Kim Min-seok, while many supporters of Lee Won-taek are wavering. This suggests Jung is struggling to stop defections from his existing base and to secure new support.

Field reporting suggests most voters have already decided whom they support. However, when a reporter suddenly approached them with questions, many were reluctant to readily reveal their political views. This points to the possible existence of hidden supporters, sometimes called 'shy Jung' voters. Turnout is also expected to fall below the last local elections, and many voters may give up voting altogether, so analysts say the actual result could differ from the polls.

The merchant, also curious about why Kim has the edge, said, "That's what people are saying," suggesting that the overall market mood is favorable to Kim Min-seok. This is an example of how the voices of ordinary citizens encountered in daily life are tilting favorably toward a particular candidate.

Market vendors tend to be reluctant to publicly express their political positions. This is because revealing their political stance could carry business risks. Since customers hold diverse political views, voicing support for a particular candidate could harm sales or their image. Their remarks should therefore be interpreted with caution.

In conclusion, voters who backed Lee Won-taek in the past are wavering in this party-leader election, while those who backed Governor Kim Gwan-young are firmly supporting Kim Min-seok or Song Young-gil. Within this trend, a 'bandwagon effect' has also been observed. Analysts say a clear tendency exists for voters to follow the candidate leading in the polls. In other words, the phenomenon of votes concentrating on the strong candidate appears to be occurring in Jeonbuk as well.